As Ramah’s first specialty camp with wider appeal, we draw chalutzim (campers) from throughout North America who are passionate about the outdoors and want to practice outdoor adventure in a Jewish environment. Our chalutzim come from New York, Boston, Washington DC/Baltimore, Tulsa, San Jose, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Diego, Houston, Mexico City, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and many more cities across North America and the entire world!

Ramah in the Rockies is a 360-acre ranch nestled in the pristine Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Ramah in the Rockies is only 90 minutes from Denver, at an elevation of 8,000 feet. The ranch is surrounded by magnificent towering mountain peaks with three mountain-fed streams running through the middle of camp. We have on-site natural climbing walls, horse stables, numerous fields for sports, and hundreds of lush, verdant acres for our chalutzim (campers) to safely explore every day. Please contact the camp office by calling (303) 261-8214 for an exact street address or driving directions

Our camp at the Ramah in the Rockies ranch is located approximately two hours from Denver International Airport, one hour and 40 minutes from downtown Denver, and one hour and 20 minutes from Colorado Springs. The drive is a scenic mix of highway and local paved roads. The last six miles to camp follow a well-maintained dirt forest service road.

At Ramah in the Rockies we refer to our campers as chalutzim, which means pioneers in Hebrew. Ramah in the Rockies prides itself on being a rustic camp in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Everyone who joins our community feels they are helping to create a new Jewish community in an area seldom settled by Jews. In addition to exploring an original homestead house on the ranch that dates from the late 1800s, throughout the summer we explore trails and fields rarely touched by humans — just like the early Western pioneers. In addition, by referring to ourselves as chalutzim, we remember those who helped develop the land of Palestine into the modern State of Israel we know and love today.

At base camp, all meals are prepared in our kosher kitchen by our professional culinary staff. We believe that the food we serve and eat should reflect our environmental values. A core part of what we do is “lift the veil” on the food at camp. We aim to serve sustainable food, taking into account where food is grown, how it is made (we try not to serve anything processed) and how it affects both our budget and our bodies. Whenever possible, we try to serve organic and locally-grown foods. On overnight excursions, meals are prepared by the group and cooked on camping stoves or over open fires. All excursion meals are kosher vegetarian and enjoyed by everyone!

To learn more about the food at Ramah in the Rockies, take a look at this blog post titled “A Taste of Camp!“

Please do not bring food to camp. Only food provided by our professional culinary staff in the dining hall may be eaten at camp. Ramah in the Rockies is not only a kosher facility, but we are also in the middle of a vast wilderness area. We are only guests on this land which is inhabited year round by an array of wildlife that would love to sample our good food. No food will ever be stored or eaten in our daily living areas, sleeping tents and bathhouses. But don’t worry! We have an open snack bar available between meals with healthy options like local fruits, homemade granola, popcorn, and other goodies. Any food brought into camp by participants or sent to camp in care packages will be donated to a local food pantry. If you have any special dietary restrictions or allergies please call our office at (303) 261-8214 to discuss further.

Participants are expected to supply their own personal clothing and gear, including waterproof jacket and pants, a compact sleeping bag, and hiking boots. All communal equipment, such as tents, stoves, pots and pans are provided by the camp. While we encourage participants to bring their own internal frame packs, we provide extras for those who do not want to make the investment in such equipment. A full packing list can be found here.

The weather in the Rocky Mountains can change hourly. Often temperatures will reach 85 degrees during the day and 45 degrees at night. Therefore, it is important to bring clothing for both the warm days as well as the cool nights.

At base camp, chalutzim (campers) sleep in large, sturdy platform tents according to their gender and edah (age group). Each tent holds up to ten chalutzim plus two or three counselors. Tents are equipped with bunk beds and cubbies for storage.

Excursions give chalutzim the chance to sleep outdoors near a mountain stream, in an alpine valley, or along the banks of a river. Our camp provides lightweight tents or sturdy tarps to ensure that all participants stay dry and warm on their excursions.

Safety is our number one concern at Ramah in the Rockies. All instructors have undergone intense staff training that includes intimate knowledge of emergency procedures, communication, and how to avoid dangerous situations. Most of our staff maintain current certification in Wilderness First Aid (20 hour course) at a minimum, and all our head trip leaders maintain certification as a Wilderness First Responder (an 80 hour course) or are EMTs.

Our directors conduct regular safety and security reviews and evaluation, and work closely with local officials to make sure our safety standards and practices are the best they can be. The health and welfare of our community will always be our top concern.